Stage 3, 2012 Tour of California
Peter Sagal of Liquigas outsprinted Tom Boonen for his third consecutive win of the race and made race history for the first person to win three in a row.
“I don’t know what to say because it’s also a surprise for me,” said Sagan when asked about his third consecutive stage win. “I’d like to thank my team because they did very good work today.” The final flat sprint into Livermore was a battle at more than 40-miles-per hour with a sweeping right-hand turn into the finish, contested by three of the world’s top sprinters including Sagan, Haussler and Boonen, the world’s No. 1-ranked rider.
Stage 3 began earlier today in San Jose and traveled 115 miles before ending in Livermore to huge crowds and beautiful weather. About 1 kilometer from the first King of the Mountain (KOM) at Calaveras Road, the attack began, and at the end of the KOM, it was Sebastian Salas (USA) of Optum Powered by Kelly Benefit Strategies; Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) of Spidertech Powered by C10; Jeremy Vennell (USA) of Bissell Pro Cycling; and Wilson Marentes Torres (COL) of Colombia-Coldeportes who crossed the line first.
“Today was a hard day,” said Vennell. “Bissell’s plan was to be in the break today, so I am the lucky one to be here. I’m very happy with the way I rode considering the stage. There was a moment there that I thought we would stay away, and we were withholding them for a while, but we turned out in the plains there and the wind really zapped the last bit of energy we had.”
Showing he will not be beaten easily, Sagan retains the Amgen Leader, Visit California Sprint and Rabobank Young Rider Jerseys.
